JP5011474B2 - Multiple robot system, method for controlling multiple robot controllers, and system for communicating between multiple programmable robot controllers and multiple teaching devices - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to the flexible connection of a teaching device to a programmable control device. To selectively connect a teaching device to two or more control devices, or to select one selected from at least two teaching devices to a control device selected for connection from a plurality of control devices A network is used to connect automatically.

  This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Patent Application No. 60/658476, filed March 4, 2005.

  Usually, a teaching pendant (also called a teaching pendant) is connected to a programmable control device by wiring. If it is desired to communicate with the second programmable controller, the teaching pendant can be connected to the first programmable controller or the robot manually to connect to the second programmable controller or robot. Manually removed from the robot.

  The prior art requires a teaching pendant to be connected to the robot controller at any time, and the teaching pendant is typically dedicated to the control of some programmable robot controller. In some cases, multiple robots are connected to the same controller, in which case one pendant can control multiple robots. However, the number of robots that a single control device can accept is limited. There is also a limitation that it is difficult or impossible for a robot manufacturer to configure inventory to meet the needs of any combination or permutation of robot arms and controllers.

  Another deficiency of the prior art is that until now only one teach pendant could be used.

  The present invention is directed to one or more of the problems noted above.

  In one aspect of the present invention, a robot system includes a teaching pendant for communicating with a plurality of programmable controllers or a plurality of robots controlled by a programmable controller. This is particularly advantageous in situations where a single controller controls multiple robots, such as a system with two arms that allows the teaching pendant to select either robot. In this case, however, only one control device is included.

  In another aspect of the invention, the system comprises a plurality of teaching devices for communicating with a plurality of programmable control devices. When a teaching device is in communication with one programmable control device, the teaching device can also communicate with other programmable control devices to perform inactive functions. Therefore, the teaching device can log in to the robot control device from the PC, and can perform operations not particularly related to jog or teaching points. This differs from the other in that a pendant can perform all operations just like a dedicated pendant once logged in, providing a single interface for multiple controllers.

  The deficiencies of prior art systems are that any pendant designated to be part of all systems over a network (Ethernet, wireless, any such connection) Avoided by allowing connection to the robot controller. This allows the system to be configured with multiple robot controllers and one or more pendants. In such a system, any pendant can be connected to and operated on any control device. Using this approach, where many teaching pendants are required at a time, it is provided to perform the teaching operation.

  The above advantages of the present invention, as well as other advantages, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when viewed in light of the accompanying drawings.

  US Provisional Patent Application No. 60/658476, filed March 4, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference.

  FIG. 1 shows a system 10 of the present invention having a single teaching device, such as a teaching pendant 11 connected to a network 12 (Ethernet, wireless, any such connection), for example. For example, a plurality of programmable control devices such as control device # 1 13, control device # 2 14 and control device # 3 15 are also connected to the network 12. Three controllers are shown by way of example, however, only two or more than three controllers can be used. The system 10 allows the teaching pendant 11 to be selectively connected via a network 12 to one or more control devices 13, 14 and 15.

  One teaching pendant 11 logs in to the control device 13 and preferably to the control device 13 via the network 12, for example, to actively execute various tasks such as jogging, running programs and displaying them. , Combined with one of the robot controller. While logged in to the control device 13, the pendant 11 may remotely log in to a second control device, for example to the control device 14, for passive tasks such as monitoring operations. The pendant 11 displays both operation menus for each of the control devices 13 and 14 during the double communication state.

  In addition, one teaching pendant 11 can log in to the third control device, the control device 15 remotely for a passive task during which an operation menu for each of the control devices 13, 14 and 15 is displayed. Good. One teaching pendant 11 may remotely log in to any number of control devices and display corresponding operation menus for each connected control device in order to perform passive tasks. The teaching pendant 11 may be of the type described in US Pat. No. 6,560,513 issued May 6, 2003 and named Robot System with Teaching Pendant, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Incorporated into.

  FIG. 2 shows the system 20 of the present invention incorporating a second teaching device such as a teaching pendant 21 that incorporates all the components of the system 10 and is connected to the network 12. The system 20 allows the pendant 21 to be connected to one or more control devices 13, 14 and 15 while preventing the pendants 11 and 21 from being simultaneously connected to the control devices 13, 14 and 15 via the network 12, respectively. , Allowing selective connection via the network 12. The system of the present invention can selectively connect each of a plurality of teaching pendants to a plurality of programmable controllers.

  In this embodiment, each of the plurality of teaching pendants 11, 21 is remotely logged in to each individual control device 13, 14 and the other control device and / or additional You may log in to the control device 15 remotely. Each of the teaching pendants 11, 21 may remotely log in to any number of control devices and perform a corresponding operation menu for each connected control device to perform passive tasks.

The remote login of the teaching pendants 11 and 21 is not limited to this, but the following commands can be input.
・ Requesting web pages from remote robots ・ Starting / stopping monitoring (monitoring) related to remote robots ・ Entering keys and commands for remote robots ・ Entering watchdog characters and serial numbers to remote robots ・ Remote Start RPC connection to robot, get / set data, and ・ Maintain RPC connection to master robot

Although not limited to this, it is possible to instruct the remote robot to output and display the following commands.
The remote robot sends a web page to the pendant, and the remote robot sends a PMON packet to the pendant

  With reference to FIG. 3, the network 12 may comprise a server running a program that prevents the teaching pendant 11 and the teaching pendant 21 from simultaneously connecting to the same controller to perform active tasks. The network 12 has an active task portion 22 and a passive task portion 23 for the teaching pendant 11, and an active task portion 24 and a passive task portion 25 for the teaching pendant 21. For example, consider that the teaching pendant 11 is connected to the controller 13 for an active task via an active task portion 22, as shown in FIG. The active task portion 24 then prevents the teaching pendant 21 from connecting to the controller 13 for the active task, but as shown in FIG. 3, the teaching pendant 21 controls for the active task. Allow connection to devices 14 and 15. Similarly, the teaching pendant 11 is connected to the control device 13 via the passive task portion 23, and the teaching pendant 21 is connected to the control devices 14 and 15 via the passive task portion 25. . However, it may be important for either user of the teaching pendant to know what operation the controller connected to the other teaching pendant is performing. Accordingly, the server of the network 12 allows connection to the control devices 14 and 15 via the passive task portion 23 of the teaching pendant 11 and connection to the control device 13 via the passive task portion 25 of the teaching pendant 21. Is acceptable.

  The standard emergency stop switch and deadman switch required to ensure operator safety are not shown. In a preferred embodiment, the emergency stops of a plurality of teaching devices are connected by a hardware circuit, and all robots are stopped when one emergency stop is activated.

  The teaching pendants 11 and 21 also include a teaching pendant control module (not shown) that provides communication with the control devices 13, 14, and 15, respectively. This module comprises video and audio feedback to the operator, means for receiving data and means for inputting the received data. FIGS. 4 and 5 show the display generated in the teaching pendant, with multiple individual login series (FIG. 4) and multiple displays such as a list for login and corresponding photos (FIG. 5). ) Is allowed to be selected by the operator. To help the operator during communication, each programmable controller has a unique name and / or color on the pendant display, indicating whether the connection is made and what type of connection is direct or remote. It may be assigned. This display may be a web page designed by the user or a direct link. If the direct login in the connection between the robot and the teaching device is lost, the robot stops and the teaching device display indicates disconnection. Instead, if the programmable controller of the specified robot is shut down or removed, the teaching device will connect to the default programmable controller and display this connection. For example, if controller 14 is the default controller and controller 13 shuts down, network 12 substitutes controller 14 for active task communication with teaching pendant 11.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the teaching pendants 11, 21 have a display 30 with a central screen 31 for generating a visual display of an icon 32 that identifies the robot to which the teaching pendant is connected. . The instruction above the icon 32 will guide the user to press ENTER to change the display to a different selected robot. As shown in FIG. 5, the central screen 31 has a plurality of icons 32 to 35 each representing a different robot to be selected.

  Like emergency stop, networking of multiple programmable control devices with multiple teaching devices notifies all connected devices including remote PCs, input devices and processors of specific operating instructions, Allow to robot system. These operating instructions include: 1) only the teaching device can activate the program and can activate the program only at a safe speed; 2) only the teaching device can activate the program; and It can include that the program can be run at the full speed of the program, 3) all teaching devices are disabled, and only devices other than the teaching device can run the program. Each teaching pendant displays such a notification.

  In accordance with the provisions of the patent law, the present invention has been described in what is considered to describe its preferred embodiments. However, it should be noted that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically shown and described without departing from its spirit and scope.

It is a typical block diagram of the system of the present invention using one teaching pendant. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the system of the present invention using two teaching pendants. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of FIG. 2 showing some combinations of connections between the teaching pendant and control device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an example of a user display for selecting a programmable control device on the teaching pendant of the present invention. It is an example of the user display which illustrated the some control apparatus which can utilize remote login on the teaching pendant of this invention.

Claims (18)

At least two teaching devices;
At least two programmable controllers each connected to an associated robot;
Connected between the at least two programmable controllers and the at least two teaching devices to facilitate flexible communication between each of the at least two programmable controllers and the at least two teaching devices. A network in which each of the at least two teaching devices can display information about each of the at least two programmable control devices and can operate each;
With
A plurality of robot systems, wherein each of the at least two teaching devices is allowed to be selectively connected to the at least two programmable control devices via a network.   When one of the at least two teaching devices is in communication with one of the at least two control devices to perform an active task, the network is within the at least two teaching devices. The plurality of robot systems according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the one of the at least two control devices by another one is prevented.   The network includes the at least two control devices in which one of the at least two teaching devices is in communication with another one of the at least two teaching devices to perform an active task. The plurality of robotic systems of claim 1, wherein one and a passive task are allowed to be performed.   2. The network allows simultaneous communication for running jogs and programs between one of the at least two control devices and only one of the at least two teaching devices. Multiple robot systems as described in.   The plurality of robot systems according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least two teaching devices includes a display for visually indicating information related to each of the at least two control devices.   The plurality of robot systems according to claim 5, wherein each of the at least two control devices is represented by a different icon on the display. The plurality of robot systems according to claim 5 , wherein each of the at least two control devices is selected from an associated link on the display.   If the network loses connection between one of the at least two teaching devices and one of the at least two control devices while running jogs and programs, the network The plurality of robot systems according to claim 1, wherein the robot connected to the two control devices is stopped. A default control device connected to the network,
During one active task communication of said at least two teaching devices, when the one of the at least two control devices is that or removed shuts down the network, before Symbol least two teaching devices The plurality of robot systems according to claim 1, further comprising a default control device connected to said one of the plurality of robot systems.   When one of the at least two teaching devices is in communication with one of the at least two control devices for an active task, the network is the one of the at least two teaching devices. The multiple robotic system of claim 1, wherein one allows communication for a passive task with another one of the at least two controllers. Providing a communication network;
Connecting at least two robot controllers to the network;
Connecting at least one teaching device to the network;
Selectively communicating to perform active and passive tasks between the at least one teaching device and the at least two robot controllers;
With
A method for controlling a plurality of robot control devices, wherein the at least one teaching device is allowed to be selectively connected to the at least two robot control devices via a network.   The method of claim 11, comprising displaying an operation menu on each of the at least two control devices in communication with the at least one teaching device on the at least one teaching device.   The network is configured such that another teaching device connected to the network communicates an active task with one of the control devices performing communication with the at least one teaching device. 12. The method of claim 11 to prevent.   The method of claim 11, comprising displaying on each of the at least one teaching device a display of each of the at least two control devices in communication with the at least one teaching device.   If a connection is lost during active task communication between the at least one teaching device and one of the at least two controllers, the one of the at least two controllers is The method according to claim 11, wherein the connected robot is stopped.   If one of the at least two control devices shuts down or is removed from the network during communication with the at least one teaching device, the network defaults the at least one teaching device. The method of claim 11, wherein the method is connected to a controller.   While the at least one teaching device is communicating a passive task with one of the at least two controllers, the network is configured such that the at least one teaching device is within the at least two controllers. 12. A method according to claim 11, which allows an active task to communicate with another one. At least two programmable robot controllers;
At least two teaching devices;
A network for selective communication between the at least two teaching devices and the at least two control devices, the active task between one of the at least two control devices and a plurality of the teaching devices A network including a server that executes a program for preventing communication of
A system for communicating between a plurality of programmable robot controllers having a plurality of and a plurality of teaching devices.

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